The present invention relates to an impact absorption system for an automobile, more particularly to an impact absorption system that causes a substantial reversal of the impact force""s direction of action.
This patent refers to devices provided for absorbing, offsetting and sharing a part of the forces generated over different components of the vehicle when a moving automobile suffers a head-on impact whether against a static body or against another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction.
In either case, generally with greater intensity in the latter of the two mentioned because of the force of inertia consequent on the traveling speeds, vehicles undergo considerable crushing and deformations particularly at their fronts, affecting the integrity of their occupants in a very serious manner.
In an attempt to mitigate the fatal consequences of these collisions, automobile makers have been introducing habitats or reinforced areas into their cars that, in a suitable combination with other parts liable to preconceived deformations, enable the undesirable effects of impacts to be partially reduced.
Devices have been designed with the same intention, with the aim of offsetting or sharing out the forces caused by the collision over the whole vehicle""s frame, particularly transmitting part of them to the rear end opposite to the collision.
Such devices achieve the almost simultaneous deformation of the front and rear ends of the vehicle""s bodywork and thus extend the amount of the time involved in the deceleration caused by the collision and enabling the deformed surfaces of the rear of the bodywork to also absorb a considerable part of the forces caused by the collision.
One such device is illustrated in patent DE 43 26 269 in which an automobile is described, fitted with a front body having a deformable structure followed by a rigid compartment for passengers.
We may also refer to patent DE 40 22 137 in which the vehicle""s front deformable element is supplemented with a system for transmitting force towards the rear thereof, where a second force absorbing element has been fitted. This transmitting element works under compression such that when an impact occurs, the deformation causes the passenger compartment to move towards the car""s rear.
In my prior patent, Spanish patent P 97000524, and in German patent DE 196 24 932, a second force absorption area is also included in the vehicle""s rear, but such forces are transmitted via cables working under traction. Some element is therefore required which will change the direction of the impact force""s action, such as a pulley or a lever. Patent DE 196 24 932 describes cables offering a peculiar elasticity whilst Spanish patent P 0700024 addresses totally rigid cables such that the system""s performance is optimized and, therefore the greatest magnitude of energy possible is managed to be transmitted to the deformable element of the car""s rear.
From Applicant""s above mentioned patent and after continuous studies, calculations and experiments, an important conclusion has been reached that in order to offset and share out a part of the forces, generated by a head-on collision, to the vehicle""s rear structure, it is necessary to maintain the cable system which reverses the impact force""s direction of action, and it proves clearly fundamental to establish that the axle sustaining the cable guiding pulley be installed on an element that is designed to be progressively deformable in such a way that, after the initial impact, and through the effect of the consequent cable tension, deformation of the support sustaining the pulley axle occurs and, therefore, the pulley likewise moves towards the rear of the car.
By interpositioning this deformable support between the front and rear of a vehicle, a large part of the impact energy is prevented from being transmitted onto the vehicle""s chassis which causes the acceleration peak generated after the impact to be reduced.
From the foregoing, the present invention is primarily intended for use with conventional passenger vehicles, particularly automotive vehicles. A preferred embodiment of the impact absorption system comprises at least one front impact receiving member, a rear absorption member, a cable, a pulley, and a deformable pulley support. The receiving member includes a front end and a rear end and is suitably secured to the automobile""s frame proximate the front end of the automobile. The rear absorption device has a front and a rear end and is suitably secured to the frame near the rear end of the vehicle inline with the impact receiving member.
A cable is fastened between the rear end of the receiving member and the rear end of the absorption device. The cable is passed through the front end of the receiving member, extends along its radial axis, and is fastened at the rear end of the absorption device. The pulley is interposed inline between the receiving member and the rear absorption device such that it is proximate the rear end of the receiving member. The pulley is wound by the cable such that an appropriate movement of the cable causes the pulley to move about its rotational axis. The pulley is supported on a deformable pulley support that is adapted to translate the rotational axis of the pulley from a first position to a second position in response to, and in the direction of a colliding force directed perpendicular to the front end of the vehicle. In operation, a head-on collision provides a colliding force that causes a tensioning force on the cable about the pulley. The tensioning force in the cable causes the pulley support to collapse in the direction of the colliding force and causes the absorption device to collapse in a direction opposite the direction of a colliding force.